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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22650682">All's well that ends well (to end up with you)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshAndSnow/pseuds/AshAndSnow'>AshAndSnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Facing an ex, First Kiss, First Meetings, I don't know which fits better, M/M, Meet-Cute, Meet-Ugly, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Takes place during the span of a single night, Wedding Reception, mending broken hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:54:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22650682</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshAndSnow/pseuds/AshAndSnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki misses his train, and is now shit out of luck for the night.</p><p>Tony is willfully ignoring the invitation on his kitchen counter, telling him he has somewhere to be tonight.</p><p>And so something beautiful begins.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Tony Stark, past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>All's well that ends well (to end up with you)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I watched Before We Go and a loose idea for this started to take shape</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”Fuck!”</p><p>Loki doesn’t swear that much – his brother is wrong in his accusations of that, it’s just that Thor is more deserving of being sweared at than most – but tonight warrants it. As if the string of events leading up to this didn’t already make it so, the last train of the night just left the station. And Loki was mere seconds too late.</p><p>He is so, so fucked.</p><p>”Excuse me?”</p><p>Loki whirls around.</p><p>”What?” he snarls. And he immediately kinda sorta almost wishes he didn’t.</p><p>The man in front of him is handsome. Kind, warm eyes; thick, fluffy hair. And a smile that could kill, even as it looks both a bit startled and a bit apologetic right now.</p><p>Also, the man is holding Loki’s phone.</p><p>”You dropped this when you ran past me.”</p><p>”…Thank you.”</p><p>Loki takes the phone. The screen’s cracked, a spiderweb of breakage at once keeping the screen dark and illustrating exactly how Loki feels in that moment.</p><p>Great. Just as Loki thought he couldn’t get any more fucked.</p><p>Above them, the speakers crackle to life, informing everyone within hearing distance that the station is closing for the night. It will not open until 5am.</p><p>How is it, that every time Loki thinks it can’t get any worse, it does?</p><p>Without further ado, he marches outside, brushing past the handsome man. He has no idea where he is going, and once he is outside, he just… stops. Because what else can he do?</p><p>”Are you okay?”</p><p>The handsome stranger has followed him.</p><p>For a second, Loki is creeped out. Then he remembers that the station closed for the stranger, too, and that it isn’t the stranger’s fault that Loki is lingering by the exit.</p><p>”I’m fine,” he says, but even he can hear the undercurrent of stress in his voice.</p><p>”Are you sure?”</p><p>No, Loki’s not fucking sure. Not about this or about anything. Isn’t that obvious?</p><p>”I missed my train. I’ll be fine.”</p><p>”Do you need help finding a hotel? Or a cab?” the stranger offers.</p><p>Loki shakes his head, huffing out a frustrated breath. The stranger’s attempts at kindness are forcing Loki to relive the misery of the night, and it’s not making him feel any better.</p><p>”My wallet was stolen.”</p><p>The stranger’s face twists in sympathy. ”What if I pay for a hotel?”</p><p>Loki looks at him incredulously. What sort of moron is freely offering strangers on the street of New York money for a hotel room? Is he nuts?</p><p>”I need to be home by morning. And I don’t want to owe a stranger anything, if you’ll forgive that.”</p><p>The stranger is unperturbed. ”A cab, then. You’ll owe me nothing.”</p><p>Loki narrows his eyes, somewhat suspicious. ”A cab. You’re just… going to pay for a cab for a total stranger?”</p><p>The stranger shrugs, clearly unbothered. ”Sure. Why not?” And because Loki doesn’t immediately turn him down, the stranger spins around and heads for a cab just a few yards behind him.</p><p>”Hey, man,” the stranger greets the cab driver, and Loki wonders if the stranger is this open and jovial with everyone he meets.</p><p>The cab driver glances out at them and raises a brow, clearly unimpressed. ”Yes?”</p><p>”My friend here needs a ride,” the stranger says, putting on his best smile. ”To..?” He turns to Loki, questioning.</p><p>”Boston.”</p><p>”Boston?” The cab driver snorts. ”Nope. No way. Ain’t gonna happen.”</p><p>Once more displaying what has to be  a reckless amount of charm and inability to take a hint or a no, the stranger just smiles more. It’s a beautiful smile, and Loki hates it a little bit right now. ”Aw, come on. I’ll pay you very handsomely. I’ll pay you double. And I’ll pay you for the trip home.”</p><p>The cab driver seems to consider it. ”2000, then” he demands. ”Up front.”</p><p>Loki’s jaw drops, but the stranger pulls his wallet out with not even a bat of an eye. ”Done.”</p><p>”Wait… I can’t accept that,” Loki starts to argue, watching the stranger hand over the card. It’s a half hearted protest. He really, really needs to be home by the morning. He is desperate. Almost desperate enough to accept this without question. But that’s a lot of money, and he isn’t sure he trusts that he won’t somehow owe this man.</p><p>The stranger starts to wave off his concerns. But the cab driver cuts off their conversation before anything more can be said. ”Neither can I. It’s expired.”</p><p>”What?” The stranger snatches his card back and examines it, before grumbling and shoving it back in his wallet. He takes out another and hands it over. ”Try this.”</p><p>The cab driver does… and then hands it back. ”Declined.”</p><p>”You’re not serious,” the stranger exclaims, rifling through his wallet. ”Hang on, let me try--”</p><p>The cab driver isn’t having it. ”No. No wasting my time. Go away.”</p><p>”Just let me… I swear, I’ve got a card...” The stranger steps away, and as he does, someone else walks up to the cab and poaches it, right under their noses.</p><p>Loki’s heart drops. So does the strangers’ shoulders.</p><p>”Well, that was some help,” Loki sneers, somewhat haughty. He doesn’t mean to. And he certainly has no right to, especially when he had been trying to turn down the man’s attempts at assistance. But he is desperate and frustrated, and he can’t help it when he lashes out.</p><p>The stranger snorts. ”Oh, I am terribly sorry, how fucking rude of me to try and help. Do you know, I have other things I could be doing right now?”</p><p>”Why don’t you go do them, then?” Loki can’t tell if he means it. He doesn’t know this man, and accepting help is a daunting thing at the best of times. But… well. Has it been mentioned that he’s desperate?</p><p>”Fine. Fine, I will,” he snaps.</p><p>”Fine,” Loki snaps back and turns on his heels.</p><p>He walks confidently for about twenty seconds, a weird mix of relieved and disappointed. Then he spots a rowdy group of young men further ahead. Possibly drunk. Instinctively, he slows down, trying to assess the situation.</p><p>”Hey, wait up, man.”</p><p>It’s the stranger, catching up to him. His voice is too loud; not for Loki to hear, then, but for the strangers. A clear mark that Loki is not alone.</p><p>Loki slows even further, letting the stranger come up to him, sling his arm around his shoulders and grin widely at him. ”Are you ready to party or what?” he exclaims. The rowdy group passes them, and the stranger’s smile slides off. His arm does not.</p><p>”I saw those guys.” That’s his only explanation. Loki doesn’t need to hear any more. He saw them too, after all.</p><p>”Thank you. That was kind. And I’m... sorry for snapping at you.” He does feel a little sorry. Honest. Even if he knows it sounds a bit put upon, and like he says it because he has to.</p><p>The stranger thankfully seems to know he means it, and his mouth quirks in something that looks like a smile. ”Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”</p><p>Loki shrugs. The arm slides off, and he kind of misses the weight of it right away. ”It’s one of those nights.”</p><p>Tony nods. ”I gotcha,” he says. ”Are you sure you don’t want me to help you with a hotel?”</p><p>”I have to be in Boston by morning, remember?”</p><p>”Right.” The stranger seems to think. ”Rent a car, maybe?”</p><p>”I don’t have my ID,” Loki reminds him, trying his best to remain patient.</p><p>”Well, do you know where your wallet was stolen? Maybe they took the cash and just dumped the wallet somewhere. It happens.”</p><p>Loki tries to think. It’s not a fool proof plan, but he has no alternative. And he’s got to start somewhere.</p><p>”The Blue Circle,” he says after a moment of thinking. ”A bar. Downtown.”</p><p>The stranger nods. ”Great,” he pulls out his phone, then makes a face. ”3% battery,” he admits and pockets it again. ”Okay, that’s fine, we don’t need a map. I know the way downtown.”</p><p>”We?”</p><p>The stranger shrugs. ”Sure. We. I’ll come help.”</p><p>”What about all the things you could be doing?” he accuses. He tries to keep himself on a leash, he really does, but he’s never been known for his sunny disposition, even at the best of times. And this is most definitely not the best of times.</p><p>”Well, why can’t this be one of the things I could be doing?”</p><p>Loki doesn’t really have an answer or an argument against that. So he hesitates, then nods. ”Alright. Thank you.”</p><p>The stranger grins. ”Perfect. Although, if we’re about to go on a quest for your wallet together, I feel like I should know your name at least. Don’t you agree.”</p><p>Loki does. He offers a hand. ”Luke.”</p><p>The stranger takes it. ”Nice to meet you, Luke. I’m Tony.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shout out to bennybatch and rabentochter for brainstorming titles with me</p></blockquote></div></div>
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